One of the things my friend said was how difficult it was to remain present.
There’s a routine to the gathering. You can go through the motions and often there’s no real desire or requirement to truly be authentic in that setting. So however you’re really feeling should take a side-step and you should just get with the programme. Your body can go through the motions while your mind is elsewhere.
It does not have to be that way.
We must have a weird idea of God. As though He sees us behave in one location at one time and as long as we jump those hoops, He won’t mind however we feel at other times.
That’s a weird and fairly messed up idea of our loving and heavenly Father. Don’t get me wrong, I also don’t have a concept of the Father who is just laid back and chilled with however His children behave and doesn’t expect to discipline them.
What I am growing to appreciate is that there has to be something about gathering together that allows us to enjoy the presence of the Father who desires us to know Him and each other for real. Know Him for who revealed Himself to be through His engagement with His people through history. Know Him through who He revealed Himself to be through His Son. Know Him through who He reveals Himself to be through His Spirit and His Word.
What He has specifically given for us is who we are as His family. Not just who we are in a Word, not just who we are in sentiment – but who we are when we gather. It’s a place for authenticity. Being real before God who sees us as we really are. Responding to who He reveals Himself to be with love and thanksgiving. Responding to who He reveals himself to be with a desire to know Him more and reflect Him in our every day dealings.
When we gather, we can sing about our great God and then be real about how we are with Him too. When we gather we can cry out to Him about the brokenness we witness around us and within us and repent. When we gather we can exchange the gifts He gives us for the benefit of each other and to impact the community with His love for His glory.
When we gather, there’s enough room for vulnerability, there’s enough space for rebuke, there’s enough grace for questions, there’s enough strength for humility, there’s enough creativity for new days to be experienced in the lives of many in healing lives and relationships.
When we gather He is willing to make those encounters and engagements times where we once again see who we were, who we are, who we can be and who we will be …
(Photo by Aleksandr Ledogorov on Unsplash)
For His Name’s Sake
Shalom
C. L. J. Dryden
Life With CD 